Securing Hotspot Connections

Sticking with the theme of internet security in the last few posts, here are some suggestions on protecting yourself while using public hotspots. These wireless hotspots can be found at places such as airports, hotels, Starbucks, etc. Generally these hotspots are open to everyone with no encryption or password settings. This can mean that anyone could possibly see your internet traffic. Although it is very convenient to easily access the internet at locations like these, it is worth while to take a few precautions.

• Make sure it's a legitimate hotspot: Nefarious types have been known to set up pirate routers with familiar SSID names like "wayport" or "t-mobile," and then use them to capture unsuspecting users' log-on information and other private data.
• For those connections you use only occasionally, drill down and change the setting from automatic connection to on demand. That means when you take your home laptop into work, you should be prompted to connect rather than connect automatically. This is also true with a service like T-Mobile; you should be prompted to connect at a participating coffee shop or airpport. This is another layer of safeguarding against bogus routers. Go ahead and leave the automatic connection feature on for your secured home network and other networks you connect to all the time (work), but turn it off for *all* others. Thereafter, logging onto a network creates a few seconds of hassle, but the added security is worth it.
• Verify that your PC's software firewall is turned on, and that Windows' file-sharing feature is off; it's off by default in Windows XP with Service Pack 2. To check this setting, open Control Panel and choose Windows Firewall (you may have to click Security Center first in XP or Security in Vista). In XP, select the Exceptions tab, and look in the Programs and Services to make sure "File and Printer Sharing" is unchecked. In Vista, click Change settings, then select the Exceptions tab and follow the instructions for XP.
• Never send bank passwords, credit card numbers, confidential e-mail, or other sensitive data unless you're sure you're on a secure site: Look for the lock icon in the bottom-right corner of your browser, as well as a URL in the address bar that begins with https. Such sites build in their own encryption.
• Always turn your Wi-Fi radio off when you're not at a hotspot: Hackers can use it to create peer-to-peer Wi-Fi connections with your computer and access it directly.

Thanks to PC World and CNet Reviews for the above suggestions. Click on their names to read a few more of their suggestions.

Keep Your Wireless Networks Secure

Now that wireless networks are so ubiquitous and easy to set up, there are many ways that other people can “jump on” your connection. This may not be harmful for people just trying to find the strongest available signal to browse web pages, but for those that know what they’re doing can possibly steal personal information and see what you’re doing on your network. Since setting up a new WLAN (Wireless Local Area Network) is generally as simple as “plug and play,” it may be worth while to take a few minutes to configure some security features.

Here are some of the things you can do to protect your wireless network:

• Secure your wireless router or access point administration interface. Most router settings are setup by default as an unprotected network. This lets anyone with a wireless card access to your network. When you do setup the secured network, make sure to change the password from its default password. Many times the default password would be something simple like “password.” Create a password that is unique so that only you would know it. However, don’t make it so obscure that you forget it, as you will only use the new password occasionally.
• Don't broadcast your SSID (Service Set IDentifier). Most WLAN access points and routers automatically broadcast the network's name. This makes setting up wireless clients extremely convenient since you can locate a WLAN without having to know what it's called, but it will also make your WLAN visible to anyone with a wireless card. Turning off SSID broadcast for your network makes it invisible to your neighbors and passers-by. This isn’t much of a security feature because once you have connected to the network, anyone can save the connection settings to automatically connect.
• Enable WPA encryption instead of WEP. Encryption is the process of transforming information using an algorithm to make it unreadable to anyone except those possessing special knowledge, usually referred to as a key. WPA provides much better protection and is also easier to use, since your password characters aren't limited to 0-9 and A-F as they are with WEP. WPA support is built into Windows XP (with the latest Service Pack) and virtually all modern wireless hardware and operating systems. A more recent version, WPA2, is found in newer hardware and provides even stronger encryption. At least use WEP encryption if that’s all you have available, it is better than nothing. Using WPA encryption along with a secured password to access the network is typically enough security to prevent unwanted users.
• Control the range and strength of your signal. Not all routers have this capability, but with some you can lower the power and strength of your signal. It is very unlikely that you can broadcast the signal do the exact distance you want it, but it is worth a try. Additionally, you never know how far or strong a signal you yourself may need. Sometimes a stronger signal is worth more than the chance of other people at least seeing your connection exists.
• Disable remote administration. Most WLAN routers have the ability to be remotely administered via the Internet. Ideally, you should use this feature only if it lets you define a specific IP address or limited range of addresses that will be able to access the router. Otherwise, almost anyone anywhere could potentially find and access your router. As a rule, unless you absolutely need this capability, it's best to keep remote administration turned off. (It's usually turned off by default, but it's always a good idea to check.)

It is important to know that none of these suggestions are a complete protection; they just make it a little harder for people to access your wireless network. To be honest, most of us with laptops and wireless capable devices have jumped onto others wireless networks. The majority of the time people are just looking to access their email or general websites. Without encryption and other protective measures, anyone can use readily available tools to see all your Wi-Fi traffic. Being prepared and securing your connection can save you some hassle and interruptions from the other not so honest users.

I found a great tutorial on how to setup and secure a wireless network. It walks you through step by step. Better yet it even gives pictures to guide you through the process. Click here for the tutorial.

The Best Available FREE Antivirus Software

Antivirus software is a computer program that detects, prevents, and takes action to disarm or remove malicious software programs, such as viruses and worms. You can help protect your computer against viruses by using antivirus software. Computer viruses are software programs that are deliberately designed to interfere with computer operation, record, corrupt, or delete data, or spread themselves to other computers and throughout the Internet.

Modern antivirus software are designed to combat a wide range of threats, including worms, phishing attacks, rootkits, trojan horses and other malware. The way antivirus software works is done generally by two tactics, scanning and heuristic (educated guess) analysis. Antivirus software mainly uses a virus dictionary that it uses while scanning for matching virus or suspicious activity. These dictionaries need to be regularly updated.

Even if you only use your computer for the most basic functions, as long as you have access to the Internet, it is highly recommended to have antivirus software. Today, there are wide number of antivirus programs available. Each one tends to offer different levels of security. If you are looking for standard protection, there are antivirus programs available for free for personal use. In a poll on www.makeuseof.com, users voted on their favorite (free) antivirus software even amongst some pay-for programs. As of the time of this post, here were the results:

What’s your Favorite Antivirus Software?

• AVG Antivirus Free Edition (FREE) (38%, 267 Votes)
• Avast Home Edition (FREE) (15%, 103 Votes)
• Eset Nod32 (not free) (13%, 92 Votes)
• Avira Antivir (FREE) (11%, 74 Votes)
• Kaspersky Anti-Virus (not free) (7%, 47 Votes)
• Norton Antivirus (not free) (6%, 39 Votes)
• Other (please specify in comments) (4%, 30 Votes)
• McAfee VirusScan Plus (not free) (3%, 22 Votes)
• TrendMicro / PC Cillin (2%, 11 Votes)
• Bit Defender (not free) (1%, 9 Votes)
• PC Tools Antivirus Free Edition (FREE) (0%, 3 Votes)
• F-PROT Antivirus (not free) (0%, 2 Votes)
• Panda Software (not free) (0%, 2 Votes)

Click here to see the full poll results.